Dehydration and Malnutrition in Quakertown Nursing Homes

In addition to helping them handle mobility problems and other medical issues, nursing homes are also expected to make sure all their residents have a reasonably good quality of life in their later years. In practice, that means making sure they have opportunities to socialize with visitors and other facility residents, giving them clean and secure living spaces, and, most importantly of all, providing enough food and water for them to be as healthy as possible under their unique circumstances.

Unfortunately, not every nursing home is as diligent about caring properly for their residents as they should be, and sometimes, that leads to residents becoming dangerously dehydrated or malnourished. If a close family member of yours is experiencing dehydration and malnutrition in a Quakertown nursing home, you have help available from a seasoned nursing home abuse lawyer with understanding and enforcing your family’s right to civil recovery.

What Are the Major Symptoms of Dehydration?

According to the National Academy of Medicine, adults over the age of 50 should generally aim to take in about 13 cups of fluids per day if they’re male and 9 cups a day if they’re female. That said, not every person has the exact same nutritional needs, and people taking certain medications may need to drink more water than normal to stay properly hydrated. Many nursing home residents have physical or mental conditions that make it harder for them to know when they’re thirsty and drink enough water each day, making it all the more crucial for nursing home staff members to make sure all their residents get the water intake they need.

Signs that someone may be severely dehydrated in a Quakertown nursing home include but aren’t strictly limited to:

  • Dark-colored and strong-smelling urine
  • Dry skin, lips, mouth, and eyes
  • Dizziness, confusion, and extreme fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Low blood pressure
  • Muscle cramps

A practiced attorney can help take immediate action to get a dehydrated nursing home resident the medical help and financial compensation they need.

Taking Legal Action Over Nursing Home Malnutrition

Legal counsel can also help address severe malnutrition in Quakertown nursing homes, which can take the form of a resident not getting enough food, getting too much food, or not getting enough important nutrients in the food provided to them. Symptoms of malnutrition in these facilities can include:

  • Sudden and extreme weight loss or weight gain
  • Extreme fatigue and muscle weakness
  • Yellowed skin
  • Extremely white fingernails
  • Bedsores and other skin infections

It’s also worth keeping an eye out for things like dental problems, medications that make it hard for the body to properly absorb nutrients, and gastrointestinal illnesses, since these can lead to a nursing home resident being malnourished even if they’re being given enough food to meet the needs of a healthy person.

A Quakertown Attorney Can Help Sue Over Dehydration and Malnutrition in Nursing Homes

While it’s true that many nursing home residents have unique and complicated physical needs, that doesn’t mean there’s ever an excuse for the professionals in charge of caring for those residents to negligently fail to meet those needs. If your loved one has suffered from dehydration and malnutrition in a Quakertown nursing home, you likely have grounds to file a lawsuit against everyone who played a role in allowing that harm to happen.

You may have a difficult time getting paid what your family deserves if you try to pursue your claim alone. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to learn what our respected and experienced lawyers can do to help you.